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College Students and New Grads

Godisable Jacob , Pexels

If there’s ANYBODY who should be stepping up their freelance skills, it’s Black people who’re just stepping into the workforce.

Even if you’re ready to jump straight into an employed job tomorrow, you face challenges that no generation before you has. If you want to get the most out of your work life, you need insurance against an unpredictable employed career. Don’t get it twisted though, freelancing and employment aren’t opposites. As a matter of fact, a lot of the skills you use to find freelance gigs and build a relationship as a freelancer are the exact same ones you’ll use to find employment. Skills like…

Approaching organizations with the value you offer (instead of auditioning for a “chance”)

Building long-term relationships and networking within your field

Researching the best contacts within an organization

Becoming a self-starter

Lifelong learning habits that don’t rely on any one employer

I won’t try to talk you out of employment…I was employed 15 years myself before I started freelancing and it’s going to be an important part of the vast majority of our careers. I will though, encourage you to start freelancing as early as possible, building relationships (that can also lead to employment), and start taking control of your income so you can build an agile, flexible career that can carry you through things like…